The bus
by TFALokiwriter
Summary: What if events occurred differently, before and after?
1. Chapter 1

House froze momentarily watching the bartender take his motorcycle keys. It was deja-vu all over again. Then again there were days when he experienced that feeling. House knew it was a chemical imbalance in the brain. This happened before. He looked around noticing the familiar people. The Sherrie Bar. This had happened before. He didn't come here not since . . . Amber's death.

Tonight was the night Amber would die.

History could not be changed.

But there could be little tweaks here and there.

"At least give me one call." House said.

The Bartender handed House the phone with a frown on his face.

Wilson was working overtime. House put in Wilson's number. The bus wouldn't be here until after she had arrived. Why was he remembering this? This probably meant he initially believed it was inconvenient until now. House must have dreamed this a long time ago. He had dreamed one of his patients before getting the file and then dreaming up the diagnoses to that same patient. That was logical. Someone had to drive him back. House was too drunk to make his way back home on the street.

House handed the phone back to the bartender.

"Another drink on the fine lady who's coming in." House said.

The Bartender poured House another glass.

Today is the day that House is going to die. He took another drink. His team could take care of the patients with mysterious illnesses. They were idiots and morons, but maybe working with his colleagues their IQ could elevate. Bouncing ideas off one another, performing tests on patients, and injecting the patient with medicine until the right one is figured out. Just like his original pair of ducklings did and likely still did. Under Foreman's supervision they could save the day. House was sure of it. He finished off the next two drinks.

The third drink is when Amber came in.

"If you were not my boyfriends best friend I wouldn't be picking you up." Amber said.

 _One who is going to save your life_ , House thought.

"Ah take a bite of your carrot, Bugs Bunny," House said, rummaging through his pocket for his pill bottle. "She will pay for it."

Amber put the large purse on the table and then House proceeded to knock it over. He remembered the label quite clearly. She had a bad case of the flu. What she was taking could have compromised her heart,her lungs, and her liver. She would been ineligible for transplants due to the damage. House slipped Vicodin bottle into the mess and slipped out Amber's deadly bottle. She wouldn't notice, House reasoned, while putting away her belongings into the bag. That long scarf would have been used to attempt to save her leg.

"See you on the bus." House said, leaving behind his cane.

House made his way toward the exit bumping into people here and there without an apology.

"Greg, wait!" Amber shouted back, putting her belongings

House came to the doorway then looked over in the direction of Amber in the middle of the pain coming from his leg. House then went out the door. He opened the capsule,took two pills out, and swallowed them. No one would understand why he did this. Kutner, Thirteen, and Taub would try to find a reason. Cuddy wouldn't understand. Wilson would analyze what House had done after being told by Amber what had happened. He would jump to conclusions from pad to pad. He put the pills away then went into the bus and paid for the ride.

"You have a bubble in your teeth," House said. "Tell any doctor when you see them. I am Doctor House."

"Okaay." The bus driver said, with a raised eyebrow.

House made his way down the row and he came to the end. House sat down into the seat where Amber would have sat. He looked over to see a running Amber wiping her nose with a napkin holding his cane in one hand. House turned his head away. It was worth the sacrifice, House figured. He leaned his side against the window briefly closing his eyes. When they opened his cane was held before him.

"You left your cane." Amber said.

House took the cane.

"I did it for you two," House said, as Amber sat down across from him. "If you ever ask yourself why, that is the answer."

Amber raised an eyebrow.

"Are you speaking in riddles?" Amber asked.

House shook his head.

"Afraid not." House said.

Amber sneezed, again, into the napkin.

"Damn it." Amber said, then she took the vicodin capsule out, opened the lid and swallowed the pills.

"You are going to thank me for this." House said.

"You are acting unusual." Amber said.

"I know." House said.

The bus went down the street.

"Wilson and I are considering to get married." Amber said.

"And you will." House said.

"If he has to bring you, you must be in a tuxedo." Amber said.

"That is out of the question." House said.

"It is a formal event." Amber said.

"Well, if it were to happen then I must," House said. "So is little junior going to be named after senior?"

"I am not pregnant." Amber said.

"But you will be after the wedding." House asked

"We haven't talked about it." Amber said.

"Gregory Wilson, Robert Wilson, Alice Wilson, Chris Wilson, Eric Wilson,Hannah Wilson, Max Wilson, Arnold Wilson,Rebeca Wilson, Cuddy Wilson, Washington Wilson, Sherlock Wilson, Watson Wilson, Shawn Wilson, Gus Wilson-" And then the bus was struck sending it flying including House who let go of his cane. There were screams and metal and glass flying in all directions. Amber reached her hand out toward House. House reached his hand out toward Amber and their hands interlocked then the bus swerved in another direction breaking their grasp on one another. Their hands caught up onto one another for one last time.

Then their grasp broke.

The bus flew over, rolling multiple times, until it came to a landing in the middle of the road sideways. Destiny can screw itself for all Gregory House was concerned. There were bystanders covering their mouths in horror. A man calling for 911. To ensure Wilson's happiness, to satisfy destiny, House exchanged a life for a life.


	2. Chapter 2

House didn't feel drunk when he awoke. He could feel hot fresh pain coming from his left shoulder. He couldn't move. His body was steel reeling from the shock of a bus crash. The pills had probably entered his system. Amber was on the floor, her head cushioned by the bag, and his cane was dangling from the ceiling. Amber awoke with a start then leaned herself upwards.

"Greg?" Amber said, looking at him worried and concerned at once.

"I'll be fine," House said. "Ow."

"The hell you are not." Amber took her scarf off then began to wrap it around House's left shoulder to apply pressure.

"I feel cold." House said.

"Big chicken." Amber said.

"I am not the one who has a fracture to her skull." House said.

Amber touched the side of her head then lowered her hand to her line of vision.

"Oh." Amber said.

"Don't be a idiot and get some rest," House said. Amber sneezed into her hand. "You will need it more than I do."

House felt colder and a knack to fall asleep.

"The ambulance is coming," Amber said. "Hang on with me."

"I will be fine," House said. "Best doctors in New Jersey will be on me. And I won't need their stupid saving."

"You are going to attend our wedding, House." Amber said, as her eyes started to close and her balance became uneasy.

Amber fell to her side where she went unconscious.

"I will try." House said.

Being cold and in tremendous pain, House's right hand grasped at his leg. Pain tends to keep one awake not fall asleep. The vicodin was still in the bag. That House knew because the bag's contents were not spilled all over the place. Suddenly the pain just stopped. He is going numb. House stared at the ceiling going through his entire life. He had edited his will a few months ago to include Cameron and Cuddy get his sperm samples (which he has already left in some viles). His body to be used as a cadavar for the sake of medicine. Felt like he was in the arctic. House's eyes closed thinking about the numerous other things he had listed in his will until he lost consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

When House awoke, he knew it was for the last time. He was in a white familiar room where there were familiar figures looming around him. It was his ducklings. Well, technically, they were not his ducklings anymore. They were Foreman's. They were in white coats save for Foreman who was in his dark attire and a cold stone face. It was as almost as though he was a robot when really he was not.

"Got the bubble?" House asked.

"We got the bubble." Thirteen said.

"Why did you take the Amantadine?" Foreman asked.

"You would not believe me." House said.

"Try us." Taub said.

"I had a dream and Amber died in it," House said. "Someone had to die. Why not me instead?"

"Great, if everyone had a dream that predicted the future then we would be psychics," Foreman said. "We can't help you."

"Kutner." House said.

"Yes?" Kutner said.

"You should reach out to people. No one wants you to kill yourself," House said. "You think no one understands what you are going through." Taub appeared to bewildered. "We all go through it once or twice in our lives. We are all human." Kutner fell silent. "If you are going to kill yourself thinking no one cares then you are wrong. I am going to be dead within a day. That means you have friends to lean on. And if you dare think about killing yourself then I will haunt you and force your afterlife to be miserable."

"Is this a new symptom?" Taub asked.

"No, it is not." Thirteen said.

"Heart failure, lung failure, and major organ failure beyond return," House said. "Foreteen, don't let your relationship get in the line of work."

"How did you know your organs are failing?" Thirteen asked, her eyes widened.

"Stop looking at me like I was considering suicide," House said. "Do you think I would go that low?"

"No." Foreman said.

"Good," House said. "I will be haunting the clinic until my hours are completed."

Thirteen left the room with tears in her eyes.

"You know that would be creepy to any patients who are admitted." Foreman said.

"Very creepy." Kutner added.

"Being treated by a dead doctor," House said. "That is awesome!"

"Just don't use your name." Foreman said, playing along.

"I won't," House said. "I will be using yours."

"Athiest." Foreman said.

"Terminator." House retorted.

Foreman had a grunt walking out of the room and the door closed behind him. Kutner stood there rather awkwardly then he patted on the foot rest then left the room. Taub stood there reeling in what was going on. Taub was awe-struck. House rolled an eye then ordered the man to leave. He didn't want Taub to be the one to stop the machines. His heart was basically dead and the machines were helping it continue beating. He did not feel cold anymore. There was pain coming from his legs. He saw the vicodin on the table. House opened the capsule, took three pills out, then swallowed the three. He put the vicodin on the table. He saw where there was a note on the table.

House picked up the note and opened it. There was nothing there except for tear stains and the words 'c','u','d', and the last bit was just a line that went to the edge. Cuddy cried, most likely,writing what could be the last. She didn't want to see him this way. House looked into the bottom of the bottle to see there was three more vicodin pills left. He stuffed the note into the bottle to the side then put the bottle on the counter.

House could wait for Wilson.

Preferably he wanted his best friend, and only, to turn the machines off.


	4. Chapter 4

"You idiot!"

House awoke with a start looking up to see there was a furious Wilson standing at the foot rest with his hands on the footrest. He looked like he hadn't slept in a day. There were circles under his eyes. His hair was unkept. His sleeves were pulled up to his elbows.

"Genius!" House said.

"House, what were you thinking taking Amber's pills?" Wilson asked.

"To make you happy." House said.

Wilson appeared to be in disbelief and mostly bewildered.

"I didn't know you were on that bus until this morning," Wilson said. "No one knew where you were. Your heart was racing. Amber remembered seeing you on the bus. At the time we had no idea you were on the bus at all! We thought you were at home sleeping your hang over off."

"Then you asked around who was taken to Princeton General." House said.

"Foreman and I asked around," Wilson pointed to himself. "You died on the way here in the ambulance." Wilson came to the side of the bed. "You switched bottles with Amber."

"And you have woken me up to say goodbye." House said.

"If you were trying to make me happy, then you should have not gotten on the bus." Wilson said, as House took the pill bottle feeling his leg aching. "You could have called a cab." House opened the bottle then slid out the three pills. "That is logical." House swallowed the pills. "What you did is _illogical_."

"I love you." House said, sincerely.

"And very unlike you." Wilson added.

"You are scared," House said. "So am I. How is Amber?"

"At home, sleeping." Wilson said.

The words " _Where you should be_ " were left unsaid floating in the air. He should be at home sleeping. Sure, he could have done things differently instead of taking her pills. House had one of those strange feelings that there could be a final destination like scenario if no one died. He wasn't studying string theory or something about the parallel universes. There was likely a universe where he called a cab and went home instead of calling the Wilson residence and no one died that day but the bus accident would have happened anyhow. The bus driver would have ended up as his patient either way.

"Wilson," House said. "Will you do the honors?"

"Dying without giving your family goodbyes," Wilson said. "Okay, that is just very selfish of you."

"Don't name the kid after me." House said.

"I was not intending to name a imaginary child after you." Wilson said.

"Good. Because I would hate for a kid walking around with my name to be a pansexual all loving person who gets their heart easily broken than yours," House said. "But either way he will find someone to piece them back together. Like you did for me."

"I did not piece you back together." Wilson said.

"Yes, you did. You were there for me and I will always be there for you." House said.

"You believe in the afterlife," Wilson said. "You told me you didn't believe in the afterlife."

"I lied," House said. "Everyone lies."

Wilson took House's hand.

"You are an ass, you know." Wilson said, briefly squeezing back House's hand.

"A great man once said, 'I have, and always shall, be, your friend'." House said.

"That is a fictional man." Wilson said, as he let go of House's hand.

"It is the thought that counts." House replied.

Wilson turned the machines off.

"I will be around." House said.

Wilson put one hand on the metal part of the machine

"On second thought," Wilson said. "Greg Wilson sounds like a good name." House's eyes stared at the window where he saw Cuddy and Stacy standing together. "Or Lisa." House felt numbness spreading all over. "I have a inkling we could have twins or just maybe one child. Normally people name their kind after people close to them or a name the couple really like." Wilson turned around hearing a long wail coming from the machine. Wilson felt a cold breeze past by him. "Time of death. . ."


	5. Chapter 5

A man, lacking a white coat, limped his way into the exam room with a brown cane. The man closed the door behind him then sat down into a chair and wheeled himself toward the patient, a male in his late thirties, who was sitting on the exam bed. The patient was Jacob Robertson who was cross eyed and dressed up in a untucked plaid polo with a vest and blue jeans that had rips on the knees.

"The name is Doctor House,no wait, it is Doctor Eric Foreman," House said. "How can I help you today?"

"It's personal." Robertson said.

House leaned forward.

"Attracted to your mother?" House asked.

Robertson appeared to be insulted.

"My mom is dead." Robertson said.

"Can't help you on that one." House got up from the chair then headed toward the door.

"I-my-ah-my nipples are producing milk." Robertson blurted.

House looked over, one hand on the knob, with a raised eyebrow.

"Hormone treatment?" House said.

"No, no, no." Robertson said.

"Then you are really a girl." House said.

"What?" Robertson asked. "My parents would have told me that."

"Mommy and Daddy thought you were a freak." House said.

Robertson folded his arms.

"I am a boy." Robertson said.

"Ever had vitamins injected into your arm?" House asked.

"Never had vitamins." Robertson said.

House came over appearing to be interested.

"When did you last get sick?" House asked.

"Three months ago." Robertson said.

House looked over then turned his attention to Robertson.

"Pull your shirt up." House picked up a stethoscope.

Robertson pulled his shirt up.

House saw a big protruding belly and seemed to be actually surprised.

"What do I have?" Robertson asked.

House listened with the metal part on the man's belly.

"Uh huh. . ." House said. "Hmm. ." He took the stethoscope off Robertson's belly. "I know what you have. " House wheeled over putting the stethoscope on the table. Robertson put down his shirt. "You are going to need a C-section in six months. I recommend going to Robert Chase."

"You didn't answer me." Robertson said

"You are the second man in history to be pregnant," House said,watching Robertson stutter and his face turn white. "Does your male partner have insurance?" Robertson nodded. "Does he like babies?" Robertson shrugged. "Do you want babies?" Robertson shrugged. "Have you felt like someone was kicking you in the stomach for the past month."

"It, uh, well, explains it," Robertson said. "I have had headaches, frequently peeing,and a on again off again runny nose."

"You don't seem surprised," House said. "Oh come on, who dared you?"

"My. . . erm.. . my. . erm. . ." Robertson said.

"Come on, he will have to pay for the baby." House said.

"My brother." Robertson said.

"You drank a woman's egg over a dare?" House said, in disbelief.

"Oh. OH. OH MY GOD." Robertson said.

House leaned back.

"Unless you didn't know it was a egg," House said. "What did you think it was?"

Robertson looked over then puked.

"Soda?" House asked. "Fake blood? Pepsi? Cocoa?"

House wheeled himself over to the telephone then put in the janitors number.

"Hey Blue," House said. "Yes, it is me. Exam room 1." House frowned. "No, I am not going to do that."

House hung up.

"I am pregnant." Robertson said.

"Congratulations." House opened the door then left with the cane clacking against the floor.

The door closed behind House.

"I am going to kill him." Robertson said.

The door opened and in came Thirteen.

"Hello, I am your doctor for today," Thirteen said, holding a clipboard walking forward in his direction.

"I am pregnant!" Robertson said.

Thirteen stopped in her tracks looking up.

"Pardon me?" Thirteen asked.

"Doctor House, no wait, Doctor _Foreman_ told me I was pregnant!" Robertson said. "I am too young to be pregnant!"

"What did he look like?" Thirteen asked.

"He had a cane and he was a white guy in his forties." Robertson said.

"Have you met anyone name Gregory House before?" Thirteen asked.

"No." Robertson said.

"Doctor House died last week." Thirteen said.

"Oh my-" Robertson said, turning away then puked again. "God!"

Our scene backtracked out of the exam room where the sounds of a cane clicking against the floor is heard and there is not a sound to justify it nor an item. We can see the ghostly apparition of House sitting in another exam room with a woman and her daughter. The mother was a mute and the daughter was not a mute. The daughter was talking about a problem her mother was having. We can hear wheels to a janitor's bucket coming close to the exam room. And then the daughter mentioned her mother speaking.

House raised an eyebrow at that part looking away from the clipboard.

"Go to floor 2, talk with Doctor House," House said. "He is the head of the diagnoists department. I believe your mother is not mute." House tapped the mothers knee. The mother's knee did not move. "If he asks who recommend you to him just say Doctor Foreman."

House handed a piece of paper to the daughter then made his way out of the exam room and headed in the direction of the elevator.

Dead or alive, House would LOVE to see this.

 **The End.**


End file.
